An elderly farmer in Roscommon turned up at a hazardous waste disposal site with enough cyanide to 'wipe out' the county.

The farmer had the hazardous waste for 45 years and had originally bought it to get rid of rabbits.

Suzanne Dempsey, Environmental Officer with Roscommon Co Council, said this would have been common practice.

"The farmer had previously sought advice on how to dispose of it safely," she said. "The toxic expert on the day said the amount was enough to wipe out most of the county." Roscommon Co has a population of 60,000 people.

Other waste products that farmers arrived with included one of the main ingredients in Agent Orange, a chemical weapon used in the Vietnam war.

The EPA is running a series of hazardous waste disposal collection events.